Saving His Nymph Mate

Chapter 7- Truth

Candace and Beth stayed in the shadows as they followed a wolf pack into the silence of the night. It amazed Candace by how stealthy they were even in packs; they barely made a sound. Beth was giddy the entire time they walked there. Despite Beth’s enthusiasm, Candace still felt uneasy about the situation. Still, they continued until they reached an opening with a waterfall. An advantage of being a nymph was that they were weightless, so they could climb nearly to the top of the tree to look. The waterfall fell into a small lake that channeled further into the forest. The water was full and running fast even though it was the beginning of summer.

“Candace look!”

She looked at Beth’s hand and followed where she pointed. Below her to the left, a seventh wolf joined the others on a rock. She guessed they were the leaders. They raised their heads and the entire forest filled with howls that broke the silence. The howl overtook her, and she felt the power of a united pack behind it. She sat back in reverence for the beauty of the howl underneath a full moon. Candace looked across the open field and saw hundreds of wolves intermingling.

Beth sighed and half closed her eyes, finding the entire situation romantic. “Do you think they came to find love?”

Candace rolled her eyes, although she found it all interesting. It wasn’t long into the night that the leaders caught her attention. Standing on the rock were six wolves growling and baring their teeth. The moon caught one of the wolf’s teeth and it reflected off. That wolf, in particular, caught her attention. The wolf was pure black, except for a small white patch on its chest. The patch appeared to be shaped like a diamond. The wolf stood in the middle of the circle confidently and immediately commanded the attention of the other leaders. She couldn’t hear what they were saying because of how loud the waterfall was, but soon the leaders dispersed, weaving into other wolves to be lost. There was only one wolf standing majestically on the rock. She took in the beautiful sight of seeing the animal under the full moon. It wasn’t much longer that the wolf lifted its nose and jumped off the rock.

“I can’t believe how big they are! Much bigger than any pack of wolves I’ve seen.” Beth said, still enthralled by the sight.

Candace didn’t realize it until Beth said something, but it was true. These wolves were bigger than the average wolf and never had she seen so many in one place.

“Candace, look over here.”

Beth climbed down the branches after turning around. There were two wolves walking; the larger one was in front, with the smaller one trailing behind. There was tension in the air between them. Neither one was talking. The larger of the two was gray, with a tint of brown in his fur. Candace could tell the smaller one was female. Her fur was a mixture of colors; white, brown, and black all intermingling with each other. The first wolf stopped several trees away near a bush, already showing signs of ripe strawberries. The larger wolf growled low. Both Beth and Candace climbed closer to the wolves to understand what they were saying. Like all forest nymphs, they had the capacity to understand every animal’s language.

“Look at you. I can never be with the Lune Pack.” The larger of the wolves spoke low and gruff. The female was unable to meet his eyes.

“Hunter Bowen, Sentinel of the Shadow Shawdow Knight Pack, rejects you, Megan Reign of the Lune Pack.”

Something happened during that moment. It felt like a snap. Candace could feel it inside of her, a bond breaking, and a sorrow settled deep in her heart. Once the large wolf left, the small one laid down and whimpered. It was a small noise that barely broke the silence of the forest. It shattered the beauty of the night for Candace. Her heart ripped open for this small wolf, who was in obvious despair. She looked over at Beth, who had tears in her eyes waiting to be shed.

Unable to take the heartache, Candace continued to climb down the tree to the small wolf. Once she touched the ground, the wolf brought up her head. The wolf scrambled backwards, but stopped when Candace held out her hand. Not knowing what she was doing or how she could help, but she felt a force driving her towards the wolf to help ease the pain she knew the wolf felt. Under the full moon, she felt a rare connection with Selene, the moon goddess.

Her brown hair touched the dirt as she leaned forward. Softly, she touched her face, placing her green hands on either side, feeling the softness of her fur coat. Closing her eyes, she placed her forehead on the wolf’s.

“As queen, I bestow a special blessing upon you, given to you by the moon goddess, daughter of the Lune Pack, to bind the broken. You will find your mate within the year and he will not reject you.” A small light formed from her hands and it disappeared inside the she-wolf. Inside, Candace felt something come back together and heal her despair. The she-wolf stood and bowed her head deeply before turning and walking through the underbrush, dazed.

“Whoa, my lady, I didn’t know you could do that.” Beth climbed down and was staring at Candace.

“I didn’t know I could either. Selene was guiding me. I just knew what to do.” Candace looked down at her hands where the light formed and disappeared into the she-wolf.

“The moon goddess was with you tonight. I mean, it makes sense. Your lineage has been here since the beginning. You are a daughter of Gaia and have connections with the gods.”

Candace looked at Beth. She remembered her mother telling her stories of Gaia, who was Mother Earth, the goddess she was connected to.

“Let’s get out of here, Beth.” Candace was getting tired and wanted to go rest. She and Beth walked northeast towards Beth’s tree.

To their left side, they heard the crunching of tree branches and low growling. Beth looked at Candace and walked towards the sound. Candace tried to grab her hand, but Beth was already low in the underbrush. She reluctantly followed.

Watching from the underbrush, Candace saw three wolves. One was all black with white socks and ears. He was smaller than his other companions. The other two looked similar. They both had gray fur and were similar in height.

“Lost little pup?” The right one said, facing the little black wolf.

“Just wanted to get into some Black Jade business?” The left one said.

Both showed their teeth as they were approaching the black wolf. It surprised Candace to see the black wolf not back down. He got down into an aggressive stance, prepared to fight. Candace could tell if the wolves attacked, the black wolf would not win. Once again, her compassion overwhelmed her. She could not stand an unfair fight. Two larger, well-built wolves against an obviously young inexperienced wolf. Before the two had the chance to attack, she jumped out, flashing a brilliant light that looked like a burst of fire. The wolves jumped back, then scattered in fear.

Candace was so concerned and surprised by her unknown natural ability that she never heard the earth and wind whisper to her of an approaching wolf to her left.

Instead, she felt the wind wrap around her arms, telling her one word: human. At the same instant, she sensed something inside her blossom filling her with warmth. That’s when she understood her pragma was approaching. She panicked. The young girl heard all of her mother’s warnings about never letting humans see her. She was to stay hidden from society. However, it was more alarming to know what would happen if the wolves saw him. She couldn’t let that happen.

“Beth, time to go now.” Candace quickly whispered behind her.

Once she saw a figure in the trees, she quickly whispered, “follow me!” Then she ran. She heard footsteps behind her, making her believe both Beth and her pragma were not far behind.

She ran and jumped over rocks; the earth told her with every step she was being followed. It would take hours to get back home, and she wasn’t sure how far he could run. Immediately, she recognized what to do. She veered to the left. An old forest hunting cabin had collapsed not too far away. Two of the walls had collapsed inward, creating a pile of cracked, decaying wood and rusting metal. She felt desperate to get there. As soon as she reached the destroyed structure, she scrambled up to the top of the man-made ruins, helping her return to her human form.

It wasn’t long before an individual walked through the treeline. He wore a black sports shirt that stretched tight, showing off his muscles in his chest and arms. Candace breathed deeply to see him underneath the full moon. She didn’t know what to do with herself. She gripped her dress with both hands. Unable to move, she watched him approach her. He climbed up the ruins and stopped a foot in front of her, trying to balance on the rubble. With the bright light of the moon, she lifted her head to look into his stormy eyes. The storm seemed to have gotten wilder, more dark grays seemed to take over.

“Are you trying to avoid me?” He held a small grin.

“No, I didn’t know you would be there.” She said in a whisper. Feeling like if she talked any louder than that, it would be disrespectful somehow to the night. She looked down at herself. Her skin had a light tint of green, but she still held her tattoos and her dress was a blue that seemed to move like water. Her eyes widened to realize that she hadn’t completely changed. Being still there in the forest, she couldn’t change back completely. She desperately hoped he didn’t notice in the dark.

“How did you find me?” She asked tentatively.

He seemed a bit confused by her response. He crossed his arms. She felt wrapped up in him and lightheaded, unable to take herself out of the trance she was in.

“Same as you. I could feel it.” He took a deep breath, then in barely a whisper said, “because you’re my mate.”

Her eyes widened at the bold words he uttered. Mate? As in reproduction? Then she remembered the mixed-colored wolf, and she understood. Clarification cleared her features as she realized, mate to him, must be pragma to her.

Candace stared at him. Even in his declaration, he was confident.

“Who are you?” Was all she could think to say as she searched his face.

He stepped over a board and came even closer to her. Make her heart beat faster. He puffed out his chest in pride. “My name is Wyatt Blackard, Alpha of the Aleph Pack.”

She felt engulfed in the night's serenity and in him. “That is quite a title.”

He chuckled softly. “One I am proud of.”

She looked down, not knowing what to say to that. He exhibited that pride. Wyatt had leader material written all over him, with the way he held his head high in his confident stance.

When she looked up, he gently said, “do I get to know your name?”

“Candace.” She couldn’t bring herself to say more than that with her mother’s warnings still ringing in her ears.

He arched one eyebrow. “That’s it? I don’t even get to know who your pack is?”

Her eyes widened again when realization dawned. He believed she was a wolf. Cold splashes of reality hit her. Wyatt was not just a human. He was a wolf, an Alpha. She was the Forest Queen. How did her mind miss that he was a wolf, when the signs were all there? Her mother told her once that she could never trust a wolf, saying they don’t know when not to fight. She took a step back into the little area of the rubble. Candace looked around and realized Beth was nowhere around. She was alone with him.

“You should get back; I am sure they are wondering where their alpha is.” Candace was hoping he would take her suggestion.

“In such a rush for me to leave?” Wyatt stepped forward again.

Candace realized in the midst of the rubble her area was too tiny. There were boards all piled on each other with metal sticking out. Where was she to step next?

“We shouldn’t be here.” Again Candace tried at a pathetic excuse.

“You’re the one that led me on a chase here. You could have just stopped and let me talk to you.” Wyatt took another small step until their breaths mixed in the air between them.

“But you are a wolf.” She didn’t mean for the words to escape her mouth.

He took a step back, shocked.

“And so are you.” You paused and really looked at her, “aren’t you?”

Candace said nothing. What could she say? His face twisted in pain and confusion.

“Who are you, Candace? Why are you so deep in the woods? Only wolves know where to meet by the waterfall.”

“I can’t tell you that.”

His jaw tensed as he turned away and began walking down the mound of rubble. Cold seeped into her and despite her insistence that he go, she didn’t want him to. Candace took a step after him.

“Please.” That was all she knew to say before navigating her own way down the chaos of boards, sticks, and plant growth.

He turned around quickly, causing her to react by taking a step back onto a loose board. The board wiggled underneath her, and she quickly lost her balance. She tumbled down the pile and landed on her back. The impact caused her to lose her breath, and she gasped.

“Candace!” He rushed over and moved her off the woodpile. All she could feel was pain. It coursed up and down her back and knees. She could feel blood oozing from her knee injury.

Wyatt laid her down on the grass, and immediately she felt better. Her back pain slowly left, and her knee stopped aching. Once she felt like she could regain her bearings, she opened her eyes to see Wyatt staring at her. He quickly stood up.

“Your skin? Who are you?” He asked that again for the third time.

She slowly stood up, knowing her secret was out. Throwing back her shoulders, wanting to be just as prideful of her title as he was, she said, “My name is Candace Wood, a nymph, and you…” she took another breath, determined to be just as confident as him, but in reverence she said “and you are my pragma.”

“Pragma?”

Wyatt stood amazed at what he saw. The silence stretched long. She searched his face, wanting to know his thoughts. He kept his mouth in a straight line and just looked at her. Candace tilted her head to one side as she witnessed an odd transformation on Wyatt’s face. He remained tense. She saw the storm in his eyes become dark and stormy. Flashes of a barely contained tempest. Candace involuntarily took a step back, but he relaxed his mouth.

“Is that so? Well Candace, give me your wrist.” He smiled smugly, the storm still brewing in his eyes.

She held out her wrist. He took her wrist and looked down at the white tattoos that adorned her skin. He brought it up to his mouth. She wiggled and pulled back her hand.

She gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Fate has brought us together, Candace, for whatever reason. I am marking you.”

She held her wrist close to her chest. “What for?”

Wyatt crossed his arms, “Because you are my mate, and so no other being or creature can touch you or...” he lifted an eyebrow, “or claim you.”

His eyes were still a storm. Candace’s face heated. She was not some prize to claim and then write a name on. She didn’t belong to anyone, only to the forest.

“You will not mark me. I will not bear the mark of a wolf on my skin.” She spat the words out at him.

“Really? Fate has brought us here together; will you disobey that?” he asked sarcastically.

“I don’t care what fate has done. I will not be associated with a wolf.” Those words hurt her inside and she could feel the fight drain from her.

“So, you reject me then?” He barked the words out. She felt the bond they had earlier that evening burn as the tension in the air sparked. Candace took a moment and looked at him. It tempted her to say yes and be done. But she felt an unknown force stop her. Looking into his eyes, she saw the fear of rejection prevalent even though his face told her nothing. The storm inside his eyes slowed at her hesitation. Candace remembered the despair of the young wolf in the forest. She knew that this rejection was something that struck these wolves to their core and she didn’t have the heart to do that to him.

“No.” She whispered, “I won’t reject you.” She looked up at him. His body relaxed. However, she needed to make something clear. Candace walked towards him. He stood his ground. With each step, the wind howled and the surrounding trees shook. The earth beneath her feet trembled. Wyatt looked curiously and alarmed at his surroundings. She stood before him, holding his eyes, and coldly spoke, “but you will never mark me.”